Juanita Johnson
From: Flint, Michigan
Majors: Elementary Education
Juanita traveled to China for 3 weeks as part of the 2011 China UM-Flint faculty-led program led by Dr. Wei Cao. Here is a reflection of her experience:
We spent three weeks learning with students in China. We visited several schools and colleges and were able to see quite a few sights. It was a beautiful experience. Our faculty leaders were helpful because they provided us with a couple classes to help us learn a little Chinese. They were difficult because they didn't think about the difficulty we may have getting around. They did however learn from their mistakes and helped us a little more after we all had a hard time getting back to where we were staying.
Which experience had the most impact on your personally?
Visiting the schools had the biggest impact on me. We visited an elementary school, middle school, and high school. Seeing the differences in the students vs. our students was eye-opening.
What were your expectations of the trip? How did your experience differ from your expectations?
I expected the trip to be difficult and stressful. For the most part it was amazing. It was a lot of early mornings. I honestly didn't expect the places we stayed to be so nice or for the trip to cost so little
What was the biggest difference in culture that you experienced while a abroad?
Bargaining for items. In most places we haggled for better prices and that is something we just don't do here. Also, people are a lot friendlier and think of others there. It was refreshing.
What surprised you the most about your time abroad?
When it was time to go, I didn't want to leave!
How has this experience changed you?
It has opened my eyes on the issues of education we face in the U.S. It gave me a brand new perspective. I am even more motivated to be the best educator I can be.
Would you recommend this program to other students?
I would definitely recommend this program to other students. This program gave me some really great insight on how the rest of the world is working towards globalization.
China
